Ministries Partner for Community Impact
By Jewel Bailey
On Sabbath, March 22, Health Ministries, Personal Ministries and the Apple Creek Achievers Pathfinder Club took the church to the people of York Region instead of bringing the people of York Region to the church.
The three departments participated in the York Region Police International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The annual event brings together residents, government agencies and businesses to celebrate multiculturalism.
Attendees visiting our booth included police officers, paramedics, firefighters, other exhibitors, community members, past and “almost” Seventh-day Adventists.
What did the Health and Personal Ministries departments share with attendees?
Personal Ministries:
This ministry provided several resources, including Bibles, The Great Controversy, The Desire of Ages, Steps to Christ, the Final Events DVD, and mini booklets of Signs of the Times. We also distributed pens and bookmarks featuring the church’s contact information. Invitations to the upcoming series titled, “State of Emergency” were handed out as well. Let’s pray that people will engage with these resources and come to know Christ.
Health Ministries:
Health Ministries offered resources on the eight laws of health and a box for prayer requests. Health displays showed the amount of sugar and salt in our foods, which sparked interest and generated conversations. Children were also attracted by the displays, which showed lung damage from smoking. Health was an entry point for explaining who we are. For example, I informed two paramedics about SDAs in Loma Linda being part of the Blue Zones. One paramedic asked if we have other locations where our health programs are offered.
Pathfinder Club:
They delivered a drum corp presentation. The uniform made a distinct impression, and the audience found the presentation engaging. Watch the recording.
The presentation was well received by the audience, which included the Mayor of Markham, Frank Scarpitti. We caught up with the mayor for a comment about the Pathfinders. He decided to come to our booth to meet us.
Thanks to the Communications team who provided images to highlight the community services offered by the church and Pathfinder Director, Oscar Vicente, for organizing and preparing the drum corp.
Leading this outreach was Health Ministries Leader Beverley Chung-Brown, her husband Dwight-Brown, and members of the Health Ministries team have been promoting the church at this event for the last three years. Missing from the picture below but in attendance are Garfield Bailey, Glen Roberts and Tatiana Monkhouse.